POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA CONSTITUTED DISQUALIFYING MISCONDUCT.

The Third Department determined claimant's criminal conviction disqualified him from receiving unemployment insurance benefits. Claimant had been a service aide for the developmentally disabled for 25 years and pled guilty to possession of marijuana:

Criminal convictions arising from conduct occurring outside the workplace have been found to constitute disqualifying misconduct where they demonstrate a breach of the standards of behavior to be reasonably expected by an employer in light of the nature of the employment involved … . Significantly, claimant's job responsibilities included, among other things, dispensing medications to developmentally disabled individuals. Given the environment in which claimant worked, it was reasonable for the employer to expect that claimant would not illegally use or possess controlled substances. Clearly, claimant's criminal conduct posed a risk to the employer's mission and was detrimental to its interests. Therefore, we find that substantial evidence supports the Board's finding that claimant engaged in disqualifying misconduct … . Matter of Hall (Commissioner of Labor), 2016 NY Slip Op 03797, 3rd Dept 5-12-16

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA CONSTITUTED DISQUALIFYING MISCONDUCT)